Storm-curtain for vehicles.



PATENTED OCT. 13, 1903.

B. S. D. S. MARTIN. STORM CURTAIN FOR. VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 27. 1902.

No. 741,265.' PATENTED 00T. 1s., 1903.

B. s. n. s. MARTIN. l

STORM CURTAIN FOR VEHICLES.

' APPLICATION FILED 00T. 27, 1902. N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS iso. 741,265.

` A Patented October 13, 19031 PATENi` rino.

BERNARD S. D. S. MARTIN, OF MCPHERSON, KANSAS.

STORM-CURTAlN FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,265, dated October 13, 193. Application filed October 27, 1902. Serial No. 128,874. (No modelJ To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, BERNARD S. D. S. MAR- TIN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at McPherson, in the county of Mc- Pherson and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Storm-Curtains for Buggies and Similar Vehicles, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the'art to which it appertains to make and use the same. p

The object of this invention is to provide an improved means for connecting a stormcurtain with a buggy or similar vehicle whereby the curtain may be conveniently and securely placed in position for use whenever desired and also easily detached and folded, so as to be placed beneath the buggy-seat or in any suitable receptacle.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specifi cation, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which- Figure I is a front view of the top portion of a buggy provided with my improvement, one-half of the storm-curtain being in position; Fig. 2, a side View thereof; Fig. 3, a perspective view of one side of the storm-curtain frame or support; Fig. 4, a section on the line et 4 of Fig. l; Fig. 5, a sectional front view of a part of the storm-curtain frame or support; Fig. G, a side view of a part of the device shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a perspective view of a clamp which I employ for connecting the curtain with the frame or support thereof, which latter is in practice connected with the hood of the buggy; and Fig. S, a partial section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings forming partof this specification, reference being made to Figs. l and 2, I have vshown'at a an ordinary buggy-body having a dashboard a2 and a seat o3 and provided in the usual manner with a hood a4, having the usual side bars o5 and a front top hood-bar a6, said hood and side bars being so connected as to be raised into the position shown in Fig. 2 or lowered backwardly, as desired, in the usual manner.

In the practice of my invention I provide a storm-curtain ZJ, which may be composed entirely of one part or of two or more parts, and if composed of two or more parts said curtain will preferably be divided centrally or vertically, as shownin Fig. l, or it may consist of a central portion and two side portions, as will be readily understood. I also provide a storni-curtain frame which is adapted to be connected with the buggy-top, as hereinafter described, and with which the curtain is adapted to be connected, said curtain and frame being also adapted to be detached from the buggy-top and folded compactly together, so as to be placed beneath the buggy-seat or in any suitable receptacle. frame comprises a top rod c and side rods d, and the top rod c is provided with downwardly directed and curved end members c2, formed separately therefrom and connected therewith by means of detachable couplingsections c3, two of which are shown in Figs. l and 5,these coupling-sections being connected one with another and being also connected with the parts c and c2 by means of corresponding sockets and socket-pins with which said parts are provided and set-screws c4, the object of this construction being to provide means whereby the top rod c of the curtain-frame,

or the length thereof, may be adjusted'so as` to conform to buggy-tops of different widths, and the end members c2 of the top rod c may be formed so as to adapt said parts to the hoods of buggy-tops the curves of which at the sides vary. The end members c2 ofthe rod c are also provided at their lower ends with detachable parts o5, connected by means of sockets and pins, with which said parts are provided, and the set-screws c6, and by means of this construction the parts c5 maybe lowered or adjusted, so as to adapt the apparatus to different styles of buggytops in which the depths of the side portions of tliefhood vary,

`and with each of the parts c5 is pivotally connected, as shown at c7, a hanger e8. Theside rods CZ are composed of two parts d2 and cl3, hinged together at 2d, so as to swing inwardly or in the manner of an ordinary elbow-joint, and the upper part d2 at each side is provided with an inwardly-directed member ctt, which passes through the corresponding hanger cs, and the lower part di is provided at its lower The curtain- ICO end with a detachable member di", having a. pin which enters a corresponding socket in said part d3 and is made vertically adjustable therein by means of a set-screw 5, vrl"he detachable member d5 of the part d3 is provided with an inwardlydirected handle CZ and at its lower end with a fork C17, which rests on the pin or arm d8, with which the side bars c of the buggy-top are connected in the usual manner. I also provide in the form of construction shown clamps or holders e for connecting the top rod c of the curtain frame with the hood of the buggy, which are preferably three in number and one of which is placed at the center of said rod and one at each side, and each of these clamps or holders consists of a plate c2, having a top portion e3, adapted to overlap the front of the hood-rest on the cloth or leather cover eLL over the-front bar e5, and said plate e is provided with an arm e6, pivoted thereto at e7, and secured to the plate c above the pivotal point e7 of the arm c is a shoulder or rest es, above which is a spring e9, which is secured to the arm e and serves to pull it upwardly against the bar e5. Below the pivotal support c7 of the arm e6 the plate e2 is provided with another spring 9e, which bears on the lower side of said arm and forces it upwardly, and said arm is provided at its rear end with a downwardly directed finger or handle piece g, by which it may be pulled downwardly. The plate c2 is also provided with a backwardly and downwardly directed finger-piece g2, which may be grasped in the operation of pulling downwardly on the finger or handle piece g, and at the lower edge of the plate e2 is a hook g3 upon which to hang the overlap of the curtain in windy weather, and the entire clamp or holder is preferably provided with a front plate g4, which covers that portion of the storm-curtain in which or to which the clamp or holder is secured, and this plate may be oruamented, if desired, and

'vin practice the curtain may be slitted or provided with an opening whereby the clamps or holders e may be manipulated.

In the normal position of the side rods d of the curtain-f rame said rods set outside of the framework of the hood or outside of the bars a5 and the side curtains secured thereto, as shown in Fig. 2, and the inwardly-directed parts or arms d* at the upper ends of the side rods d pass inwardly transversely in front of the side bars a5 of the buggy-top and through the hangers cS and are then curved backwardly and outwardly to form a hook g5, which engages the front bar c5 of thebuggytop, this construction being shown in detail in Fig. 3 or in the place of which a clamp may be employed.

Secured to the front of the buggy-body a is a plate h, having outwardly-directed springarms h2, above which are shorter outwardlydirected spring-arms h3, and these springarms are adapted to serve as connections for spring-fastening devices h4, by which Jthe curtain or separate parts thereof are held in position at the front, and the plate h is provided with an upwardly-directed socket member 7L, designed to hold a whip.

In order to connect the curtain Z9 or the parts thereof with the curtain -frame or the rods thereof, I provide clamps i, consisting of parallel plates or jaw members i2, which may be of any desired length and which are connected by semicircular, segmental, or elliptical springs, i3, and in practice the vedge or edges of the curtain or the separate parts thereofare passed around the rods c and d of the curtain-frame, as clearly indicated in Fig. 8, and the clamps or holders c' are then pressed thereover or passed thereonto, as shown in Fig. S and as indicated in Figs. l and 2, and by this means the curtain or the partsy thereof are securely held in the connection with the cu rtain-frame or the rods thereof.

If preferred, the edges of the curtain or the parts thereof may be secured in the clampsc' and afterward connected with the curtainframe or the rods thereof, and this connection may be made in any desired manner, or the plates or jaws i2 of the clamps 'L' may be provided with serrations or teeth which will engage the curtain or the parts thereof and keep the same from slipping. As shown in Fig. S, the rods d and c are made irregular in cross-section, being thicker at one side than the other, and these rods are shown in other views as circular in form; but I prefer the form shown in Fig. S.

As the curtain-frame is thus made it will be seen that the length of the top rod c may be adj usted by taking out one or more of the parts c3, and said rod may thus be made of any desired length. The end portions c2 may be turned therein or adjusted longitudinally, and the hangers e8 are adapted to swing in a vertical plane, and the side rods d2 may thus be folded upwardly at c7, and the parts c5 may be so turned as to permit the side rods d to fold transversely of the upper portion of the curtain. The side rods d may also be folded centrally at 2d, and the entire curtain and the frame thereof may thus be taken off and compactly folded whenever desired and placed beneath the seat of the buggy or in any suitable receptacle, and the said curtain and curtain-'frame may be connected with the buggytop whenever desired.

The curtain may be provided at both sides with view-openings and also with openings through which to pass the reins,if desired; but these details form no part of this invention.

It will be apparent that the length of the side rods d may be adjusted by means of the parts d5, and the handles d6, one of which is at each side of the buggy-top, are employed for the purpose of adjusting or placing in position the separate .parts of the hood-frame, and the object of the arms e6 at the top of the hood-frame is to facilitate this operation, said arms being pulled downwardly or de- IOS pressed whenever it is necessary to connect the curtain-frame with the top of the buggy or remove said frame therefrom.V

Having fully described my invention, what which are provided with-forks adapted to engage the pins or arms with which the side bars of the buggy-top are pivotally connected, said side rods being composed of two parts hinged together, substantially as shown and described.

2. A storm-curtain frame for buggy-tops, comprising a top rod having downwardly-directed end members, means whereby said rod may be made shorter or longer, adjustable parts connected with the lower ends of the end members, hangers hinged to said adjustable parts, and side rods the upper ends of which are directed inwardly and passed through said hangers and the lower ends of which are provided with forks adapted to engage the pins or arms with which the side bars of the buggy-top are pivotally connected, said side rods being composed of two parts hinged together, and the lower sections of said side rods being also composed of separate adjustable parts, substantially as shown and described.

3. A storincurtain frame for buggy-tops, comprising a top rod having downwardly-directed end members, means whereby said rod may be made shorter or longer, adjustable parts connected with the lower ends of the end members, hangers hinged to said adjustable parts, side rods the upper ends of which are directed inwardly and passed through said hanger and the lower ends of which are provided with forks adapted to engage the pins or arms with which the side bars of the buggy-top are pivotally connected, said side rods being composed of two parts hinged together, and clamps whereby the curtain is connected with the rods of said frame, substantially as shown and described.

4. A storm-curtain frame for buggy-tops, comprising a top rod having downwardly-directed end members, hangers hinged to the lower ends of said end members, and side rods having inwardly-directed upper ends which pass through said hangers and are provided with outwardly-directed hooks, said side rods being composed of two members hinged together, and the lower members being provided with adjustable forks, substantially as shown and described.

5. A storm-curtain frame for buggy-tops, comprising a top rod having downwardly-directed end members, hangers hinged to the lower ends of said end members, side rods having inwardly-directed upper ends which pass through said hangers and are provided with outwardly-directed hooks, 'said side rods being composed of two Vmembers hinged together,and the lower members being provided with adjustable forks, and means for connecting the curtain with said frame and the top rod of said frame with the hood of the buggytop, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a device of the class described,a clamp or holder comprising a front plate and arm hinged to the back of said plate and provided with springs which are connected with said plate and by which it is held in a raised position, said arm being provided with downwardly-directed handle-pieces, substantially as shown and described.

7. The herein-described means for connecting the top rod of a storm-curtain frame with the front top bar of the hood of a buggy-top comprising a clamp composed of a plate provided at its upper edge with a backwardlydirected member, an arm hinged to said plate, and springs connected with said plate and said arm for holding the upper end of said arm against said bar, said bar being also provided with an opening through which the rod of the curtain-frame passes and also with a downwardly-directed handle-piece, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses,this 17th day of October, 1902.

BERNARD S. D. S. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

DOUGLAS M. HALE, MAGGIE DONNELLY.

ICO 

